The sun's ultraviolet rays also can dull and bleach your furnishings. And overly humid conditions can crack the finish. Very dry conditions, such as those in Southern California, can lead to cracking, peeling and splitting, which exposes the wood beneath to dirt and pollution.

To prevent such damage, Weiman Natural Lemon Oil polish ($TKx) features UVX-15, a sunscreen, to help deter ultraviolet light from hurting furniture.

Weiman's Lemon Oil cleans while it preserves. And the oil has no silicone.

It is available in supermarkets, hardware and housewares stores throughout the county.